Deal and hand indicator



M y 23, 1933- J. A. MINSHALL ET AL 60 DEAL AND HAND INDICATOR FiledSept. 19, 1932 INVENTORS. John/7. films/7a [l BY Per/eyi wuaar w z MLEATTORNEYZKI i atented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN A.MINSHALL, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, AND IPERLEY S. 'WILDER', OF

TOPEKA,

KANSAS DEAL AND HAND INDICATOR Application filed September 19, 1932.Serial No. 633,706.

This invention relates to a mechanism useful to card players and is forthe purpose of revealing the dealer and in keeping track of the numberof hands played. It is of especial interest to bridge players, also itmay be used by a plurality of players in games such as pinochle.

in the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a top view of the mechanism. Fig. 2 shows atop view similar to that seen in Fig. 1 with the cover plate removed.Fig. 3 shows a sectional view taken along the line 111-111 in Fig. 2 todisclose a side view of the elements of the combination. Similarnumerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout all thefigures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing; 10 represents the top or cover element of thebox like element having side walls 11 and base 12, this box may be ofmetal, wood, celluloid or other desirable material. Within the box ishorizontally arranged a shaft 13 upon which is fixed drum like element20 being keyed to the shaft 13 as seen at 1 1. The drum 20 at one endhas notches arranged around its periphery at spaced intervals as seen at15 for purposes later explained.

The shaft rotates in bearings 16 and 17 aflixed to the side walls 11 asdisclosed. A disc 19 is floated upon the shaft 13 and bears against astop plate 18 pined to the shaft 13 and is contacted by a coiled spring21 enveloping the shaft 13 and extending between the end of the drum 20and the inner face of the disc 19.

Opposite the drum 20 brackets 22 are affixed to a wall 11 and pivotedthereto at 2200 is shown a lever 23 outwardly extending beyond the wallas disclosed and provided with a pointed foot 24 adapted to engage anadjacent notch 15 on the drum 20 for the purpose of rotating said drumand shaft 13 through an arc of predetermined length. Near the foot 24 isshown a weight 25 on the lever 23 useful in causing the foot to loweraway from the notch 15 and ready for a further raising operation andconsequent arc movement of the drum. A second lever 26 is pivoted at 27to the lever 23 and is adapted to drop into the upper notch 15 of thepair closest the lever 24 and thereby prevent backward movement of thedrum 20. Stops 28 and 29 limit the move ment of the lever 26 or so thatit tends to ride the face of the drum except when ongaged within a notchfor the purpose explained. Also a stop 30 prevents the lever 23 fromdropping below a desired position or as indicated in the dotted positionin Fig. 3. On the outer end of the lever 23 is shown a tray for apencil, this tray may be of any shape or it may be fashioned as a clip.The lever 23 therefore may raise and lower within the slot 11m to meetthe wishes of the operator.

The device functions as follows: assume a plurality of card playersengaged in a game. It is well known that confusion frequently occurs asto the number of hands previously played or the proper party to deal thecards. Very frequently these debates result in bad feeling, but this isentirely obviated by the use of our device. In bridge the players arenamed east, south, west and north and hence upon the. drum at spacedintervals will be seen such lettering arranged so that upon the arcmovement of the drum 20' occasioned by the lowering of the clip 31 thename of the next dealer is automatically raised into a horizontalposition such as indicated by North Fig. 1 and which is revealed througha slotted opening in the cover 10. The spring 21 causes the disc 19 torotate with the shaft 13 and therefore the number of the deal appears inthe window opening through the cover plate 10 as seen in Figs. 2 and 1.Should for any reason it be desired to change the number of the deal,the number indicated could be readily changed by simply placing thefinger upon the top of the disc 19, that is for instance the numeral 5seen in Fig. 1 could be readily shifted to read either 4 or 6 by simplyshifting the position of the disc 19 on the shaft 13 against the springpressure 21.

It has been found objectionable to have the pencil loose upon a cardtable therefore the clip or tray 31 permits the pencil to perform auseful function and be at the same time available to the scorer whenevernecessary. Further we provide a card clip 32 arranged 7 disc.

from the side of the device, Where the score cards may be readily keptand out of the Way of the players.

The device serves the double purpose of novelty and utility and fills along felt Want by eliminating certain features that render card gamesuninviting to many. I

Having fully described our invention and reserving the right to makestructural changes Within' the spirit of the appended claim, What Weclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device of the class described, including a case, a shaft Within thecase, a drum aifixed to the shaft, bearings for the shaft, a discsleeved on the shaft and a spring intermediate the drum and the disc; alever pivoted to the .Wall of'the case, a pencil holder at the outer endof the lever, a foot on the lever within the case adapted to engage thedrum for selective arc movements thereof and a second lever adjacentthereto pivoted to the first lever and for limiting backward movement ofthe drum; and designations on the drum and JOHN A. MINSHALL. PERLEY S.VILDER.

